My first visit to The Chocolate Room, Muscat

For most of us, chocolate rates very high on our list on our list of things that we love to eat, inhale and experience.   And so for the growing chocolate lovers community in Muscat, there is a new place where you can head to and savour a wide variety of all things 'chocolicious.' 

Located in Al Marafah Street, Mirbat Tower in Ghubra the Chocolate Room is  open, airy, well lit and has a well designed and planned menu for people of all age groups. When I walked in at 11 am yesterday  I saw a group of young Omani women tucking into their sweet as well as savoury delights . 

When I asked them if they were regulars, the answer was in the affirmative with two of them telling me that this was their third visit. 

Would they come here again? 

Yes, they definitely would. 

And finally, what was it that drew them there? 

"We love the food as well as the fact that we can sit here and study peacefully during the mornings."

 As good a reason as any, I thought to myself and placed my order for a Cafe Latte and a Chocolate tart.

When my order was served by the smiling Vic, this is what it looked like.

 A Chocolate tart and a Cafe Latte

The presentation looked great and must add, the tart tasted good too. However, call me fussy, but the coffee was another story. It wasn't anything like the Latte I'd been expecting. Of course, this wasn't my regular brand but to me the coffee tasted overly  sweet( in my book, sugar is never mixed in the cup before bringing to the customer). 

It also tasted nothing like coffee!

So when Vic came around to ask me if everything was OK, I promptly pointed that out. That was when I learnt that it was actually a Belgian chocolate concoction and that all their coffees have an element of that flavour. Must admit, I wish I'd known that earlier... 

What I absolutely loved were the interiors. Brown, white, maroon and gleaming, there is a definite element of style about the place  and I can see it becoming a popular destination for chocolate lovers in Muscat. 

The  interiors look good

Vic and the group of students 

Later Vic showed me the Menu in some detail  and this time I saw that there were plenty of other choices  in the sweet as well as the savoury sections.. 

So as I started by saying, this was my first visit to the Chocolate Room but definitely not my last.....

Thirty minute Apple Tart

A warm slice of apple tart with coffee or better still, topped with vanilla ice cream- I couldn't think of a better way to  catch up with friends. In the past, I've tried to make a  simple version of an apple tart and succeeded reasonably well. 

But when I recently had the opportunity to watch my Le Cordon Bleu, Paris  trained daughter Neha Singh making this classic 30 minute apple tart from scratch, I knew that I was going to learn a lot. 

And I was right...

In the oven- Neha's 30 min classic apple tart

Starting with rolling the all purpose flour mixed with some butter to make the pastry from scratch, she popped the ball into the freezer  to chill for about 15 minutes while she got the other ingredients ready.

Lining the tart case and trimming off the edges 

This was then blind baked for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven after adding some beans to ensure that the case baked as close to perfection as possible.

Filled and almost ready to bake

For the filling Neha used Honey crisp apples.  This apple has exceptionally crisp, juicy, sweet-as-honey flesh with just a hint of tartness that makes it a tasty treat any time of the day.. As far as I'm concerned, its even more delicious when used to bake an apple tart.

Layered over with finely sliced apples 

The filling used brown sugar, cinnamon, water and was heated on a low heat gas stove till the mixture was tender.

Baked till golden brown for 30 mins

We had people coming over that day and Neha had yet another treat in store- a Passion fruit and raspberry pie which had been made the previous evening and left to chill in the refrigerator. 

But that's another story ...for another post.....

Memories are made of this

 

The Balancing Act- Calories, Calories.. Topped by a Diet Soda

See that Diet Soda?

Show me one person who doesn't love their ice cream and I will show you the Loch Ness Monster! Ice Cream is one of the most goodies irresistible under the sun and I confess, I'm addicted!

And of all the brands that I can think of, my all time favourite is the Cold Stone Creamery. Every now and then, when I go to the Qurum City Centre here in Muscat, I find myself heading towards their outlet, where I'm greeted by the most friendly and smiling sales team that one could ever hope for.

Who then proceed to make me the most decadently delicious Berry concoction which probably gives me my week's  quota of calories, but at that precise moment I'm not really too bothered. 

Savouring that delicious concoction seems to be the most important thing to do, but after a while I get thirsty. 

So I'm forced to get up and order a soft drink, and that's when reality of some kind begins to bite and a diet soda it is ....

Tell me am I the only one who thinks like this or are there more of you around ?.??.